


Tubbo's Choice

by WrenWrites11



Series: Tubbo & Tommy [1]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Character Death, Dream Smp, Dream Team SMP Angst (Video Blogging RPF), Dream Team SMP Spoilers, Gen, Pandora's Vault, Sad Ending, the egg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:02:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29182980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrenWrites11/pseuds/WrenWrites11
Summary: Dream will not escape the prison. It's impossible, even with his connection with Ranboo and his favor with Techno.Dream is let out the Prison.Why?Dream watches helplessly through Ranboo's eyes as the blood vines and the egg managed to kill Tommy, leaving Tubbo to turn to the one person who can bring people back from the dead...Dream.'Your freedom for Tommy's life'
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Darryl Noveschosch & Sapnap, Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Ranboo (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Clay | Dream & Toby Smith | Tubbo & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit, Clay | Dream & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound, Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Tommyinnit & Tubbo
Series: Tubbo & Tommy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2208453
Comments: 17
Kudos: 267





	1. Death

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my dramatized theory on how Dream will escape his prison...well be let free. 
> 
> I honestly think that no matter the nether portal trick, Ranboo's connection or Techno's favor it would be more impactful and dramatic to have Tommy die and then Tubbo to take charge for a bit, we would then face the dilemma of bringing back Wilbur and Schlatt as well.

Dream knew the second he opened his eyes that morning that something was going to go wrong. He could feel it in his very bones, this server was his after all, no matter the infection that was spreading through it. He was connected to the ground, rivers and oceans existed on this server. When he had blown L’manberg to bedrock it had physically hurt him, as the egg grew stronger he felt his own mind become twisted, his anger at Tommy exacerbated by the infection that was spreading slowly through his land. 

It got to the point, as he stood before Techno hidden wither vault that he could n longer distinguish his own feelings from those of the egg’s. The Egg was ancient, powerful, powerful enough to challenge the admin and send him into a destructive downward spiral of madness. But the prison, while no doubt infuriating him, allowed him to recuperate, allowing him to hear his own thoughts again without the interference of that thing. Everyday had been the same for weeks. Dream hadn’t seen sunlight with his own eyes in so long, he just started at his clock, sometimes provoking Sam into coming to talk to him. 

But Dream hadn’t been unaware of the actions going on on his server, he could still feel the river and ground, could feel himself getting weaker as the egg took over more land. He felt each one of his friends' interactions with the egg, Tubbo’s sadness, Bad’s devotion, Fundy’s disgust. But the main way Dream saw what was going on was through Ranboo. 

Through Ranboo’s eyes.

Dream had to admit it was quite the shock when he woke up one morning seeing through the boy’s eyes. He had amused that their connection would be severed or at least dulled like his connection with the egg had been. Through Ranboo, Dream had watched the struggle against the egg. 

How predictable, they all thought they had got rid of the big villain, and yet here they were once again creating sides and conflict, in anything worse than the conflict he himself had caused. Despite Dream’s own desires to escape the prison he knew it was impossible. Not even the Blood God would be able to do it, he had chosen Sam for a reason. But then again, the logical side or Dream, the one that was always planning ten steps ahead pointed out that it wasn’t safe for him to be let out. Now more than ever, outside his connection to the egg and its control would be reignited. 

How much destruction would he reap this time? When the server was more divided than any other point in its history? No, the dark, manipulative side of Dream that the egg brought out had each piece of the chess board exactly where he wanted to cause the most destruction.

Tommy. The egg wanted Tommy dead. In his last few days of sanity Dream had ensured Tommy’s exile, away from the egg. Safety in disguise of hatred. Dream had known of Tommy;s immunity for months, the egg found its way to Tommy in exile and Dream had almost broken his charade as Tommy leapt onto the red, declaring it was an addition to his constructed girlfriend. And yet nothing had happened. He had seen through Ranboo’s eyes Tommy’s immunity. Now in the silence of his own mind he was unable to separate his own anger at Tommy and the Egg’s evil, manipulative intent towards the boy, driving Dream to hurt him to such an extent that Dream knew their friendship would likely never recover.

When he woke up that morning the very air seemed still, it took Dream three second to realise that it was pain that had awoken him, throbbing, burning agony coursing through him. There was fighting on his server, the destructive, earth-shattering kind. Dream sucked in shallow breaths, feeling as though his lungs were being dissolved by lava.

He forced his eyes open but instead of the obsidian roof he saw blue sky, red vines twisting in the air. His ears were filled with sound, shouts, cries and the clang of netherite on nethrite. His limbs seemed longer, lankier he was moving far more clumsily than if he was in his own body. Ranboo’s body pitched forward, tumbling to the ground.

Dream felt everything. Saw everything. Heard everything. Anything Ranboo experienced so did he. A sword titled up his chin, both Ranboo and Dream looked up into the red, blank eyes of Punz. Dream wanted to scream at his friend to snap out of it, to fight it and at the same time he wanted Ranboo to run, to get away. If he was away from Punz he wouldn't be killed. 

Dream screamed inside Ranboo’s head, now more powerless than he had ever been, even when surrounded and ridiculed by Tommy he had some speck of power. Now he was a passive observer. Dream knew Punz, and he unfortunately knew Ranboo’s totally average PVP skills, if he engaged Punz, Punz would win. Every Time.

_ ‘MOVE, RANBOO!’ _

Ranboo jolted backwards, a hand coming to his head. ‘Dream?’ he muttered. Punz faltered for a split second. Dream’s heart thrummed in time to Ranboo’s racing one...could he influence Ranboo... to get him out alive. The netherite sword swung downwards.

_ ‘ROLL LEFT’ _

To Dream’s surprise Ranboo did, stumbling to his feet, backing away from an advancing Punz.

_ ‘Raise your shield’  _ Dream commanded.

Ranboo did just in time. He lasted ten seconds longer than he should have against Punz due to Dream’s help, but Dream could only tell Ranboo what to do, he couldn't fight for him. The shield went clattering to the left and down a deep hole. Punz stepped forward again, blade cutting a shallow gas into Ranboo’s neck. Dream felt the boy’s pain, felt Ranboo panic, felt him freeze,

No. Dream screamed. He wasn't going to let anyone else die. Especially not a child. The blade flashed in the sun reflecting Punz’s soulless red eyes. Ranboo and Dream flinched together, ready for the deadly blow.

That never came.

Punz was thrown backwards as a pale Sam shoved him into a hole to their left. ‘Are you ok Ranboo?’ he asked as soon as he checked Punz was unconscious. Sam’s hands grabbed Ranboo’s wrists as the boy brought his hands up to clutch his head.

‘He’s speaking to me’

‘Who Ranboo?’

‘Dream!’Sam looked surprised and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off but a horrifying scream...Tubbo’s scream.

‘TOMMY!’

Ranboo turned and Dream felt his blood run cold. Tommy stood in front of the egg, the tentacles wiggling excitedly. To Dream’s horror one of the tentacles had impaled Tommy, the blonde boy glanced down in shock and surprise to the tentacle protruding from his chest.

Dream was running in Ranboo’s body, then the world folded inwards as darkness consumed them for a second before the word reappeared, Ranboo stood next to Tommy, catching the boys as he fell forwards. 

Ranboo had teleported. 

Sobs filled Dreams' ears as Tubbo reached them, his hands running over Tommy, pulling his head into his lap, while Ranboo knelt next to his torso.

‘Phil!’ Ranboo was yelling looking around at the rest of the server that had frozen across a chasm, watching the three children. Phil had tears in his eyes, his white wings flapping behind him, but Dream knew with increasing dread that Phil would never fly again not after the first L’manberg explosion. He assessed the situation through Ranboo’s eyes, over the chasm, no one would reach them in time. 

Dream screamed, and Ranboo’s flinch told him he must have heard him through their connection. He couldn't let them die, he just couldn't.

‘Tommy. No, please don’t leave me’ a quiet sob made Ranboo spin his head back to look at the two boys next to him. Tommy’s blood soaked the ground, his once energetic blue eyes that sparkled with mischief now looked tired and full of pain. Tubbo was stroking his head with one hand the other clutching Tommy’s hand weekly. Dream realised that both Ranboo’s hands were pressed onto Tommy’s chest, the blood spilling from between his fingers and down his arms. 

‘Toby..’

‘Don't go! Don’t leave me here alone!’

‘You have Ranboo’ Dream had never heard Tommy’s voice so soft, Tommy squeezed Tubbo’s hand and placed his free one on both of Ranboo’s. ‘Look after him for me, Memory Boy. Promise me’ there was a pleading seriousness to his voice, one Dream had never heard before.

‘I promise.’ Ranboo’s voice came out choked and torn, Dream’s vision blurred with Ranboo’s tears.

‘What am I without you, Tommy?’ Tommy chuckled at Tubbo’s words,

‘Yourself’

Dream tried to return to his body but Ranboo held tightly onto the connection, on their link, but what Dream now noticed was that it was done purposely, the boy was aware Dream was there. 

‘A wise, wise person once told me that’ Tommy smiled sadly at his best friend. 

‘Dream, help me, please’ Ranboo begged, out-loud. Tubbo whipped his head to him but Ranboo was still pressing on Tommy’s wound, tugging desperately at their connection.

‘ _ I’m sorry Ranboo. I can't. I'm trying’ _ . 

It was true, Dream had dug into himself feeling his connection to Tommy through his admin powers, but the boy was slipping from him quickly. Tommy’s life was draining as through it was sand that dream held in his cupped hands.

‘YOU HAVE TO!’ Rambo screamed back.

Tommy’s hands tapped Ranboo’s elbow. ‘It’s too late for me, memory boy’ he coughed blood trickling from his lips, ‘Promise me Ranboo’ Ranboo nodded desperately, his tears falling and mixing with Tommy’s blood. 

‘Build Snowchester for me Tubbo, build it to be the best country on this server. Make it better than L’manberg ever was. Be better than Wilbur was. Better than Schlatt was. Better than I was. Live for me, eh Toby’ 

Tubbo nodded frantically. Tommy smiled, looking up at his best friend, Dream watch but also felt the last life slip from the boy, watched as the blue eyes glazed over to stare at nothing. 

Tubbo screamed.

Dream tumble out of Ranboo’s mind, forcefully shoved out. He was panting, sweat dripping down his neck and back. ‘No.No. No. NO!’ he yelled to the walls. Tommy couldn't be dead. Dream had so much he wanted to say to the boy. To apologize. He would explain his manipulation from the egg and how it drove him to manipulate the server but he would not beg forgiveness. No he would beg Tommy to let him rot in here. Dream would rather beg to Tommy on his knees in front of the entire server than let Tommy or anyone else on his server die.

Dream threw a punch at the wall cracking his knuckles, his own blood splattered on the walls. The server was still, his connection thrummed with vile death, his head spun as he felt every member's emotions. It was all too much. Dream collapsed to his knees, letting darkness enclose him.

Dream had no idea how long he had been unconscious when he came to, but what he realised pretty quickly was the stillness she felt within his chest, the server was still...as if waiting with baited breath. But for what?

His answer came seconds later as the lava flooded away, looking across the pool, Dream met red puffy eyes. 

Tubbo stood on the platform coming towards him.

Dream backed away to the wall, watching the boy. He didn't miss the shaking hands, red eyes, blood stained hands and clothes. Dream knew the look of a wild animal, wild animals were dangerous, unpredictable. Like himself.

Tubbo stepped into the cell. ‘Tommy’s dead’

Dream assessed Tubbo carefully, ‘I know’ he whispered quietly, his voice was torn from his screams. Surprise flashed in those brown eyes. ‘I’m going to let you free, Dream’ Dream opened his mouth to protest, but Tubbo continued. 

‘Your freedom for Tommy’s life’

Dream hesitated. Half of him wanted to jump for the freedom Tubbo was suffering him but the other half, the half that had fought against the egg’s control for months, made him hesitate. Would he be able to fight himself to save Tommy.

Tubbo held out his hand for Dream. Dream knew this was his one opportunity to gain his freedom once more. His connection with Ranboo although highly useful was in the end not enough to break him out, and even if he did, Dream didn't want the boy to bear the blame for Dream’s actions, it was why he had protected the boy when he was first imprisoned.

Nor would a thousand favors from Techno be enough to get him out. Sam was too good a builder. His prison was indeed impossible to escape.

‘You can bring him back, with the book Schlatt gave you.’ Tubbo begged, ‘Please. I can't lose Tommy. Anyone but Tommy’ Dream looked at Tubbo’s outstretched bloody hand, Ranboo’s own bloody hands flashed before his eyes.

‘Your freedom for Tommy's life'


	2. Tubbo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo's reaction to Tommy's death! Prepare for angst :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was soo excited last night, I know that my theory with the egg was wrong but i swear if Tubbo actually releases Dream in order to bring Tubbo back I'm going to be so ecstatic! Literally 3rd February 2021 the first chapter of this was posted!

Tubbo screamed into the night sky. No one cared! No one but him and Ranboo and Sam. 

_ ‘I’m sorry I couldn't get to you, Tommy’ _

Tubbo’s hands ached dully, splinters bit into his skin but he ignored them. What was he to do? He couldn’t live without Tommy. Sure he had Ranboo, who was a quite warm presence, like the ocean itself. Unmovable, constant, calming.

But he wasn’t Tommy.

Tommy was Tubbo’s fire. Tommy was Tubbo’s other half, two sides of the same coin. Tommy whose energy was endless, who bounced off the walls, exploding like fireworks in a brilliant cataclysmic display of emotions. Tommy had always been there, even in exile Tubbo had known that his friend was alive, that someday he would come home. To Tubbo.

Home wasn't a place. Tubbo’s home hadn't been the house that Sapnap and Dream had burnt back in the first war. It hadn’t been L’manberg. It hadn’t even been Snowchester. 

It had been Tommy.

Tommy was the reason why Tubbo had never felt the need to truly settle in one place. What Tubbo found rebuild so easily. Because as long as Tommy was with him, he had a home.

Tommy was a raging flame, that much was obvious, he was unpredictable, volatile and could be very destructive. But he was also playful as the flames of a campfire would play in the gentle wind that danced with them or how the flames of the torches in the mines playfully taunted the darkness pressing around it. Tubbo knew that fire wasn’t always destructive, fire was sanctuary, safety, warmth and protection from a world of shadows and monsters.

Tommy was his flame.

Tubbo’s world had been thrown into darkness, shadows pressing in from all sides. They had never won. They had never beaten Dream, they had never survived the egg. Tommy was doomed to fail before he started. Just as Icuarus was doomed to fall from flying too close to the sun before he had even spread his wings.

Techno had been right. Heroes always die. No hero has ever been happy. Maybe that was why Dream had stopped trying to be a hero when they started all this months ago. 

Because in the end a hero would sacrifice his life to save the world. A villain sacrifices the world to save those he loved.

Had Tommy known that his death was inevitable. Fated by whatever watched over them all, pulling at the threads of life like a puppeteer. Like Dream had done.

_ Like Dream had done. _

Tubbo gazed at the door to Tommy’s home in the hill, his embassy. The flowers Ranboo had planted reflected the light of the half moon, their heads dipped almost in mourning. Tubbo could hear the laughter and chatter of celebratory parties from hundreds of blocks away. Punz, Ant and Bad all laughing and celebrating Tommy’s death. 

Tubbo, felt the embers in his chest catch. He was slow to anger, far slower than Tommy, but after spending so much time dancing around Tommy’s flame, his own embers had been planted, glowing softly deep in his chest. 

Techno had gone to the ends of the earth to get a totem for Phil. Dream had fought ender dragons and withers multiple times to get back to George and Sapnap’s side. Techno and Dream were both great warriors, neither wholly bad but not good either. They were morally grey. But they were proof that a villain would always sacrifice the world to save those closest to them.

A hero can give you their second hand attention, you will never be their first priority. But a villain can give you the world, they would set the world to burn and laugh so long as those they wanted to protect were safe.

Tommy hadn’t come to live in Snowchester with Tubbo. But he had always been there for him, watching carefully as Ranboo and Tubbo played around, basking in the newfound freedom of the server.

Tommy hadn’t been perfect. But he had been Tubbo’s longest and closest friend.

His throat was raw from his screams, eyes viciously stung from the tears he had shed. Arms encircled him and Tubbo turned to press his face into a large but slim torso, slamming his curled fists weakly into the solid mass, sobs wracking his body.

‘I can’t lose him’ he whimpered, ‘I CAN’T LOSE HIM’ he throat protested as the harsh, rough words clawed their way up his raw throat to explode into Ranboo’s shoulder. 

Ranboo, who was so much larger than Tubbo, partially engulfed him, his hand coming up to stroke Tubbo’s head. The half-enderman hadn’t said a word since Tommy’s death, but Tubbo through his tears had seen how the tall boy’s shoulders sagged as if the weight of the world had dropped upon them. A weight that Tubbo was all too familiar with seeing Tommy carry. 

Tubbo knew that Ranboo understood exactly what was happening, what now fell to him. For months now, Ranboo had risen among the server, his power developing slowly as he forged connections with members. Had Tommy known? Had Tommy deliberately let Ranboo bond with Tubbo so carefully, because he knew he was going to die?

But Ranboo wasn’t Tommy. He could never be Tommy. 

Ranboo’s arms felt so similar to Tommy’s in many ways, and yet different. How many times had Tommy held Tubbo tightly, stroking Tubbo’s head into his chest? They had spent many nights curled on the bench in each other's embrace. One of the worst times had been after Wilbur’s death. The two of them left in the ruins of their fractured family, the two of them against the world.

But the worst had been the day L’manberg had died for the last time. That was the only time Tubbo had seen Tommy cry, his own tears dripping silently onto Tubbo’s head and shoulder. Tommy had watched not only his older brother but his father join with Dream to tear apart one of the last things Tommy had. Tommy had lost Wilbur again that night. The last reminder of his elder brother that both of them had looked up to with unrivaled admiration.

Tubbo suddenly felt suffocated in Ranboo’s arms.

He pushed out of them, breaths coming in harsh pants, scrambling backwards on his bum, til he came to rest on the doors of Tommy’s house. Ranboo’s head was framed by the moon like a warped halo, ‘Tubbo’ he said gently, the deep baritone of his voice vibrating in Tubbo’s chest. His one green eye gleaming in the moonlight, reminding him so much of the music disk cat that now sat safely in Tommy’s ender chest. But also of a lime green hoodie, a green shadow that fluted across the land...or used to.

Dream and Techno had already shown that they would tear the world apart to get loved ones back. Tubbo was no different. Tubbo would walk through hell, face dragons and withers a thousand times to get Tommy back. He would walk through fire and ash to the deepest, darkest depths of the earth.

An idea rose in Tubbo’s mind. Tubbo was not reckless. No, he was the voice of reason that followed Tommy;’s burning impulsive recklessness. But now with Tommy gone, those embers had caught fire, Tubbo didn’t care about the egg or the safety of the server. 

Let the server burn for all he cared, if he got Tommy back nothing else mattered.

Tubbo was on his feet running down the Prime Path, Ranboo’s heavy steps followed him, easily keeping pace with Tubbo’s much shorter ones. He raced past the Big Innit Hotel where an excited Sam Nook chattering to himself, waiting for a boy that would never return. Tubbo ignored Ranboo’s calls as the two of them raced past Skeppy’s mansion and onto the fields beyond, the black of the prison rising before them, cold fatigue sweeping over them in a chilling wave.

‘SAM! SAM!’ Tubbo screamed as the two of them skidded into the Prison entrance, through the nether portal. Only Ranboo’s tight grip prevented him from running back through the portal again too quickly. Sam must have been in the prison already as it took seconds before his quiet voice allowed them back through the portal.

The sight that greeted Tubbo under usual circumstances would have excited him, the usual Tubbo would have let a flood of questions flow from his mouth about redstone mechanics. 

But that Tubbo had his Tommy. This one didn’t.

Sam sat at the desk, head in his hands, shoulders shaking, he met their eyes, his own glistening with unfallen tears. Tubbo stalked towards him. ‘I want to see Dream now!’ he demanded, all signs of his usual soft, excited self gone. He ignored Ranboo’s intake of breath. Sam considered him carefully.

‘We set Dream free for Tommy’s life. Dream said it himself, he needs Tommy’ Tubbo said, his voice held no room for argument.

‘I can’t let you do that Tubbo’ Sam said quietly.

‘I’m not asking’

Ranboo and Sam exchanged a look over Tubbo’s head. Sam opened his mouth again but Tubbo cut him off, ‘I don’t care if Dream is free. I don’t care if he comes after me. I don’t care if the eggpire wins. I don’t care...’ his voice cracked, ‘ _I just want my Tommy back_ ’

Sam watched him carefully, but Tubbo could see in the man’s eyes he had already won. Sam thought of Tommy as his son as much, if not more so than Philza his actual father did. Sam had creed Sam Nook to give Tommy those moments of childlike joy and excitement. 

Sam eventually nodded, a single tear running down his right cheek, ‘We go and ask Dream about the book. ONLY after he confirms its possible and ONLY then will I consider his release.’

Ranboo tugged Tubbo into the first locker, both of them depositing all their items in a chest, Ranboo looked surprised as Sam nodded them both through the Prison, he didn’t even get Tubbo to sign anything.

Tubbo wished he could appreciate the red-stone and the complexity of the prison, but that part of himself was locked deep inside his mind. Had the old him died with Tommy? Tubbo barely registered Ranboo’s tight, pained expression as the two of them swam through some water. Ranboo stayed by him, his constant presence grounding Tubbo, reminding him to put one foot in front of the other, towards Dream, towards Tommy.

He came back to himself fully as they stood before a wall of lava, the sound of dispensers being shut down slid into his ears. Ranboo stood next to Sam behind him, only Tubbo would go into the cell.

As the lava receed Tubbo looked into the white mask that had only a few months ago held a sword to his throat, had threatened and intended to kill him. Dream stood stock still in the centre of the cell. He looked like a statue, unmoving as he met Tubbo’s gaze. 

He barely acknowledged the lava around him as the floor moved him towards Dream. When Tubbo reached him, he expected the lava to fall again but Sam and Ranboo remained on the edge at the other side of the lake, watching carefully, hearing all.

Tubbo took a step towards Dream. He knew that the man had already assessed him, taken in his red, puffy eyes and bloody fists. He was waiting for Tubbo. Waiting for Tubbo to make the first move. 

He took a deep breath matching Dream’s gaze.

_ ‘Your freedom for Tommy’s life’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed angst! I have one more chapter planned. Dream's escape possibly? :)
> 
> I really hope I portrayed the emotion well in this, it took so long for me to write as I wanted to get the emotions right while still reaming true to Tubbo's character. 
> 
> I did post this as a one shot on my profile as well, because this story is written that Tommy's death is caused by the Egg not Dream but, the one shot is in tune to Tommy's actual cannon death by Dream, (It's called Tubbo's grief). I uploaded it as a oneshot just so it could be read as Tubbo's cannon reaction (until he acts one himself, which i know will be amazing!)

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this, obviously this is only my theory and i know it will probably be done a different way but hey this is how I would do it if I was 'scripting' (the overall plot because we know the SMP is still mainly improve) the SMP Bloodvines and Dream imprisoned plot.
> 
> I haven't seen anyone else com up with this theory, tell me down below whether you agree with it or how you think Dream will escape the prison :)


End file.
